I don’t normally buy into the symbolism of New Year, the only thing that changes for me is the date, everything else usually still feels the same as it did before midnight.

This time though I am completely and whole heartedly investing in the ‘New Year, New Start’ way of thinking!

2016 has been a rollercoaster of a year with more lows than highs, although I will say that the high points of this year have been some of the best moments of my entire life but equally the low points have been some of the worst.

I know I’ve said it before but 2016 has been a year of closing doors, setting suns and all of the other metaphors, I have shed a lot of the baggage that has been holding me back, I have tamed the dragon that is my depression and I have just dealt with a lot of issues that I have been carrying for a very long time.

2016 was a year for healing, grieving, fixing and on reflection I see that it was a necessary year because I can now move into the New Year with what feels like a genuine fresh start.

For once, a night that usually just feels like another excuse to have a party and over indulge in extravagance actually feels like it means something.

Tonight, when Big Ben strikes and announces the start of a new year and the crowds burst into Auld Lang Syne and celebrate the start of 2017 I will be glad to say goodbye and good riddance to 2016.

I hope that you all have a wonderful time celebrating the New Year in whatever way you choose to celebrate and if you don’t celebrate and December 31st is just another day for you then I thank you for persevering through this blog post!